


Atev'/English dictionary and lexicon

by Aranwion



Category: Foreigner Series - C. J. Cherryh
Genre: Gen, Reference work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-30
Updated: 2011-05-30
Packaged: 2017-10-19 22:42:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/206015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aranwion/pseuds/Aranwion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Exactly as the title says - a reference guide of atevi (and some Mospheiran) people, places and terms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Atev'/English dictionary and lexicon

**Author's Note:**

> This is assuming at least a passing familiarity with the novels. I've been compiling it for a while and thought other Foreigner fans may find it useful.  
> Updated, expanded and improved!

                               

_Places:_

**Adaran** \- coastal village

**Bergid** – mountain range visible from Shejidan

**Bu-javid** – ancestral residence of the aiji, where the legislatures meet, political center of the Western Association

**Najida** – Bren’s west coast estate, on Najidami Bay

**Kajiminda** – Lord Geigi’s estate, on Kajidami Bay

**Tirnamardi** – Atageini ancestral estate

**Noburanjiru** – ‘Grandmother of Snows’, mountain on Mospheira called Mt. Adam (Allan) Thomas

**Cobo** \- village near coast

**Desigien** \- small association of villages

**Fagioni** \- province near Malguri                     **Sidonin** \- town near Taiben

**Dajoshu** \- township Banichi is from              **Talidi** \- province

**Saigiadi Observatory** – observatory where Grigiji teaches, located in Caruija forest

**Shejidan** – capital city of the Western Association

**Caruija Forest** – public lands, hunting grounds

**Marim** \- Atageini town                     

**Tagi & Mairi** \- neighbor clans to the island of Dur

**Taiben** – A plains region of the Western Association, the ancestral home of Tabini’s family

**Tasigin Marid** – trouble area in the Association, located near the southern coast   

~

**Mospheira** – island ceded to humans by the Treaty, pop. Approx. 4 million three hundred thousand

**Phoenix** – the starship that carried humans to the atevi world, absent for 178 years

**Reunion** – space station established by the Guild during their absence from the atevi world, later ceded to the kyo

**Brighter Days** – Toby Cameron’s boat

**Mt. Allan Thomas/Mt. Adam Thomas**  – mountain on Mospheira where Bren skis

            _Note: the mountain is referred to by several names, the reader/writer can choose which one they prefer to use_

 

_Key Players:_

**Tabini** \- Aiji of Western Association

**Banichi** – Guild Assassin, Jago’s partner, father

**Jago** – Guild Assassin, Banichi’s partner, daughter

**Cenedi** – Guild Assassin, man’chi to Ilisidi

**Damiri** \- Tabini’s consort, Atageini Lady

**Ilisidi** – Tabini’s grandmother, lord of Malguri, aiji-dowager

**Tano** – Guild Assassin, Algini’s partner, man’chi to Bren

**Algini** – Guild Assassin, Tano’s partner, man’chi to Bren

**Grigiji** \- Astronomer Emeritus

**Cajeiri** \- Tabini’s  & Damiri’s son

**Brominandi** – Lord of the Association

**Valasi** – Tabini’s father, Ilisidi’s son, Tabini’s predecessor

**Djinana** – Malguri caretaker, man’chi to Malguri itself

**Maigi** – Malguri caretaker, man’chi to Malguri itself

**Moni** – Bu-javid staff

**Taighi** – Bu-javid staff

**Rejiji** – Lord of Dur’s Son

**Geigi** – Lord of the Association  & the Edi clan, of Maschi clan

**Tatiseigi** – Atageini Lord, lord of Damiri’s clan

**Pagioni** – past Aiji

**Dagina** – past Aiji

**Manadgi** – ateva that made first contact after the Landing

**Eidi** – Tabini’s majordomo, Guild Assassin

**Bindanda** – Guild Assassin, Atageini staff/spy, works in Bren’s household on the space station

**Kandana** – Atageini staff/spy in Bren’s household, also works in Bren’s household

**Narani** – Guild Assassin, head of Bren’s household in Bu-javid

**Sabiso** – Atageini staff

**Asicho** – Atageini staff

**Saidin** – majordomo of Lady Damiri’s Bu-javid apartment staff

**Cosidi** – traitor of Talidi province

**Murini** – of Kadagidi clan, the usurper of the aishidi’tat

**Babsidi** – ‘lethal’, Ilisidi’s mecheita, mecheit’aiji

**Nokhada** – Babsidi’s second, gifted to Bren  

 

_Supporting Cast:_

Desabi                         Anaro                          Kasari

Nawari                                    Ruso                           

Antaro                         Ismini                          Gegini

Adaro                          Direiso

Jeladi                           Cori                             Deiso

Jeiniri                           Majidi                          Deisi

Keimi                          Dataini                                    Jegari

Meisi (Damiri’s youngest sister)                     Deiaja (half Kadagidi, half Ajuri)

Timani                         Kadiyi                         Benedi

Geidaro                       Adigan                                    Kalasi

                                    Giri

Mandi                          Jelani                           Keishan

~

**Ian Bretano** – human who made first contact with the atevi after the Landing, the first Paidhi

**Shawn Tyers** – head of Mospheiran Foreign Office, later President

**Deana Hanks** – paidhi-successor, pro-human/pro-space political views

**Barbara (Barb) Letterman** – Bren’s long-term girlfriend

**Paul Saarinson** – computer tech Barb married

**Toby Cameron** – Bren’s brother

**Jill Cameron** – Toby’s estranged wife

**George Barrulin** – advisor to the President of Mospheira, member of the Human Heritage Party

**Hampton Durrant** – head of the Mospheiran State Department

**Gaylord Hanks** – Deana Hanks’ father, politician, the force behind the Human Heritage Party

 

_Terms:_

**Agoi’ingai/agingi’ai** – felicitous numerical harmony

**Aishi/Aishishi** – An aishi is an association among intimates

            Example: an aishi could be a lord and his household, a husband and wife. Correct grammatical form is aishini, denoting the possessive form of the word.

Aishi refers to an association not only among intimates, but one that creates protective surrounds, such as an aishi surrounding a Stability of One (a person who brings stability to the numbers of any given situation).

            Example: Bren is a Stability of One, he and his bodyguards are aishishi (still aishini in the possessive)

**Aishi-prejid** – a term that roughly means ‘a weakness has to be invaded and fixed quickly for the common good’

**Aishid** – clan, family, people who share man’chi (Bren, Tano, Algini, Banichi, Jago), associates that can be relied upon

**Aishiin** – a network of reliable associates

            _Note – the ‘-iin’ suffix or word ending most often denotes a pluralization_

**Aishidi’tat** – Western Association

**Aishidi’mar** – Eastern Association

**Ai’wita** – a mid-sized animal, hunted for food (deer or ibex-like)

**Aiji** – lord of an association

**Aijiia** – plural of ‘aiji’

**Ajuri** – Lady Damiri’s first clan

**Ami** – ‘Mama’

**Amidi ashi** – a popular dish made with eggs

**Arispesa** – ‘Airspace/aerospace’ an Atev’ word that came into existence because of the rapid advancements in technology

**Asi-man’chi** – man’chi to family: siblings to each other, parent to child (child to parent)

**Atageini** – Lord Tatiseigi’s clan, Lady Damiri is part Atageini

            _Note: If I remember correctly, spellings of ‘Atageini’ and ‘Atigeini’ both appear in the books, both are correct_

**Atev’** – the name of the (only?) atevi language

            _Note: Ragi is a dialect of Atev’_

**_Extra Note: Argentavis asked where the atevi language is referred to as 'atev' and I knew I'd seen it before so I went looking - I found it! Page 194 in the paperback release of Foreigner, during the conversation with Jago regarding midei._   
**

**Athmai’in** – children’s forms/language, alerts the listener that the speaker is a novice and to not take offense at any slights or infelicity

**Baji-Naji** – fortune (baji) and chance (naji), the element of chaos and the unknown in the world

**Basheigi** – universe, world, earth, environment, ecosystem (in Atev’ the word for universe equally describes the larger physical universe and ones own personal, social universe)

**Biichi-gi/biichi-ji** – ‘Finesse’

**Caiki** – small animal, called bobkins on Mospheira (gopher-like)

**Chimati sida’ta** – fait accompli; atev’ saying ‘The beast is cooked’

**Dahamidei** – a believer in midei

**Dajdi** – alkaloid stimulant

**Dihawa/bihawa** – atevi instinct to test strangers to determine their place/man’chi

**Dimagi** – alcoholic drink

**Gija** – alcoholic drink safe for humans

**Hadjaijid** – mental condition; isolation from networks of society, having no upward or lateral man’chi, no connection to which one emotionally responds, pathologically isolated, has no real leadership – no asi-man’chi (family man’chi) either. Isolated, delusional, disconnected – a sociopath

**Hai** – exclamation, ‘hurray’

**Hamatha ta resa** (insert name) **-dathasa** – ‘Felicitous greetings to your lordship’

**Hari’i** – ‘By no means’

**Haroniin** – systems under stress, needing adjustment

            _Note: the ‘-iin’ suffix appears, denoting pluralisation_

**Hasdrawad** – lower house of atevi legislature, representative of the common people

**Hata-mai** – ‘It’s all right’

**Hei** – ‘Of course’

**Insheibi** – indiscreet, provoking attention

**Jeishan** (Northwind) – Bren’s yacht

**Kabiu** – what is proper, in harmony with the earth, the observance of traditions

**Kadagidi** – the clan of Direiso (traitor) and Murini (traitor)

**Kaid’airuni manomini ad’heiji** – atevi proverb; ‘It is difficult to see the provinces from the capital’

**Kyo** – species from deep space

**Man’chi** – the driving atevi psychological and emotional force, the sense that compels atevi to flock to a leader and follow that leader at all costs

**Man’chiin** – grammatical form used when more than one man’chi is in play

**Mani** – a respectful address for ‘grandmother’, possibly extending to other elders or female relatives

**Mainaigi** – hormonally induced foolishness

**Maogishi** – a breakdown of order

**Mayei-ta** – ‘Thank you’

**Mecheita/mechieta** – quadrupedal animals ridden by atevi. Mecheiti have sharp rooting tusks used to forage for and hunt food, long, sinuous necks (I always thought of camels there) and a very sensitive bone plate in their noses – not to be pressed on! Mecheiti have the same kind of man’chi instints atevi do and always travel in herds, driven to follow their leader no matter what.

**Mecheiti/mechieti** – plural of mecheita

**Mecheit’aiji** – the leader of the herd, the animal all the others will follow

**Midarga** – alkaloid stimulant

**Midei** – the belief that luck and fortune reside in people – considered heresy

            _Note: when Bren tried to explain ‘friendship’ to Jago and said that Banichi is a favourable person, so Bren would do favourable things on his behalf, Jago likened that to midei_

**Midedeni** – person who supports midei beliefs

**Mishidi** – awkward, lacking finesse

**Nai’am** – ‘I am’

**Nai’danei** – ‘You two are’

**Naigoch’imi** – feigned good will

**Na’itada** – refusing to be shaken in your beliefs, from your position on an issue

**Noburanjiru** – the root (grandmother) word of ‘kurdi’, also a mountain on Mospheira, called Mt. Adams by Mospheirans

**O’oi-ana** – a nocturnal lizard-like creature, likes to live in vines

**Osi** – word without clear etymology, no relationship to other words. When said it indicates one wants a piece of information amplified to its greatest possible extent

**Pachiikiin** – game animals

            _Note: the ‘-iin’ suffix appears, denoting pluralisation_

**Tashrid** – upper house of the atevi legislature, representative of the lords

**Tekikin** – techs, i.e. computer techinicians

**Wi’itkiti/wi’itkitiin** – the dragonette creatures that live on cliff sides

            _Note: the ‘-iin’ suffix appears, denoting pluralisation_

 

_Prefixes, suffixes and pluralisation:_

Nadi – an informal, but respectful, address. ‘Sir’ or ‘ma’am’ suitable for use between a lord and his staff while in a more informal setting

            _Note: can be used a prefix or suffix if attached to a proper name, though the dash is only used with the suffix_

_Example: Nadi Bren, Bren-nadi_

Nandi/nand’ – A formal address, meaning ‘lord’, ‘my lord’

            _Note: ‘Nandi’ is a noun, equates simply to ‘Lord’_

_Example: “Nandi, would you care to sit?”_

_Nand’ is a prefix and always precedes a name_

_Example: “Nand’Bren, would you care to sit?”_

-ji – sir, miss, ma’am, intimate address used between those of similar man’chi, often used as a possessive qualifier

            _Note: Also used between those of similar/same man’chi, indicates a relationship close enough for informal address to be used_

_Example: Aiji-ji – My aiji, Tai-ji – my papa; Bren-ji – Bren-who-is-of-my-man’chi_

-ma – suffix address meaning honored sir/lady, can also be used as a possessive qualifier

            _Example: Aiji-ma – Honored aiji and My honored aiji are both reasonable translations_

-daja – used only with noble women specifically – ‘honored Lady’

            _Note: can be used as a prefix and as a suffix_

Nai – Prefix, indicating possession

            _Note: ‘Nai’ can be combined with other suffixes – nai-ji, nai-ma. As far as I can tell it’s simply a further qualifier indicating an even closer relationship between speakers. I.e. if ‘Bren-ji’ is replaced with ‘nai-ji’ it indicates a much closer personal – not work - relationship._

-iin  - a suffix or end of a word indicating pluralisation. Seems to be the most common way to pluralise a word, but not the only one.

            _Example: Nadi = nadiin, nandi = nandiin, wi’itkiti = wi’itkitiin_

 

_Other Notes:_

On the subject of languages, there is one overall language used in the Aishidi’tat – Atev’. Atev’ apparently has dialects, Ragi is one of them. Mosphei’ is the language spoken by humans, and I suspect would be considered a dialect of English. When referring to the language itself, capitalization is appropriate – “He speaks Atev’.” “He speaks Mosphei’.”

However, neither ‘human’ nor ‘atevi’ should be capitalized. If you do want to capitalize, though, it should be both or neither.

 

Ms. Cherryh seems to enjoy using multiple spellings in her books – and purposefully doesn’t try to keep track of them. So there are many words that have multiple spellings – and all of them are correct. It is simply up to the reader/writer to decide which on they’ll use.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any corrections or additions, let me know!  
> Thanks to Argentavis for prompting me to look for the exact spot the atevi language is referred to as 'atev'. That addition has been made to the lexicon!


End file.
